Latest Ethiopian News - Ethiopia

December 13, 2017 - In a statement sent to Ezega.com, the US Embassy expressed concern about the recent unrest and deaths in some parts of the country and univeristies. Here is the full statement sent by the US Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:

"We are troubled and saddened by reports of violence that has resulted in deaths and injuries in the town of Chelenko and at several universities over the past two days. We extend our condolences to the families and friends of the victims."

"It is important that the Ethiopian government ensure the safety of all Ethiopian citizens, and hold accountable those responsible for violence

December 13, 2017 - The European Union announced aid worth 174.4 million euros under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa to support refugees and host communities in the Horn of Africa region. Three new projects which will focus on creating employment opportunities and providing energy access to refugees and local populations will be implemented in Ethiopia with a total of 38.05 million euros, reports FBC

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica said, “with today's (yesterday) new actions worth €174.4 million, we are stepping up our support – to protect vulnerable migrants, to create economic opportuniti

December 13, 2017 - Following clashes between ethnic groups in some parts of Ethiopia, Ethiopians are facing social media blackout as Facebook and Twitter are down, reports fox news.

Oromia regional spokesman Addisu Arega said the violence in Chelenqo town killed six people and was being investigated. On Facebook he called the victims "innocent civilians."The Addis Standard news site reported 15 killed, including women and children. The Associated Press was not able to independently verify the reports.

Oromia regional officials have long accused special police from the neighboring Somali region of committing atr

December 11, 2017 - Following a series of organizational meetings and deep evaluations, the new exective committe of the TPLF has assigned its members various duties. The committe highlighted the need for renewed focus on both regional and national issues. Accordingly, the 9-member executive committe has assigned its members the following tasks.

December 10, 2017 - A German tourist, who was confirmed dead in an attack in Northeastern Ethiopia, has been identified as Walter Roepert (MD) from Aalen, Germany. The German citizen who was an ear, nose and throat specialist died on the scene while his translator survived and is said to be treated at a nearby hospital.

The incident was said to have happened near a volcanic lake at Erta Ale inside the Danakil Depression near the Eritrean border. The 63-year-old medical doctor was said to be attacked along with his tourist guide, taking pictures while he came face-to-face with armed men that shot both of them close-up. The Ethiopian gov

December 10, 2017 - The United States government stated that it is looking at “comprehensive approaches” to extend humanitarian assistance as well as help resolve tensions that caused over 660,000 internally displaced people in the eastern part of Ethiopia.

In his meeting with members of the media at the US Embassy,Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Donald Yamamoto said that the US foreign secretary under Trump administration is committed to keep boosting relations with sub-Saharan countries including Ethiopia that he called a “core partner”.

December 7, 2017 - An international airport built at a cost of 450 million birr ($16.6 million) in Ethiopia’s North Eastern state, Afar regional state, inaugurated today. The airport has been named after Sultan Alimirah Anfre, former tribal leader of Afar people.

Ethiopian Minister of Transport, Ahmed Shide, Chief Administrator of Afar Regional State, Haji Seyoum Awel as well as Deputy Speaker of the House of Federation (HoF) attended the inauguration ceremony.

The airport would have a significant contribution to attract investment and link the region with the neighboring country Djibouti as well as to facilitate import-export trade, A

December 6, 2017 - Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa City Administration has launched a cleaning campaign to be conducted on every last Saturday of Ethiopian month, reports Ethiopian news agency. The universal integrated cleaning campaign aimed to create clean and beautiful city was announced at a public mobilization forum held today.

In his opening speech to the forum, Mayor Driba Kuma said the main objective of the universal integrated cleaning campaign is realizing active public and private sectors involvement in creating clean, beautiful and comfortable Addis Ababa.He stated that the city administration has been implementing various p

December 6, 2017 - German tourist has been shot dead and a guide injured during a visit to a volcano in north-eastern Ethiopia, reports BBC. They were part of a group which had travelled to the Erta Ale volcano. It is not known who carried out the attack, but the Ethiopian government has launched an investigation.

The Afar region, which straddles the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, is known as an operating ground for several separatist groups.

Five years ago, the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Front - the most prominent of the groups - claimed responsibility for the deaths of five tourists and the abduction of four others in

December 2, 2017 - The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry stated that it summoned an embassy employee in Ankara who was reportedly drunk and threatened Turkish police officers that he would “start a war” between Ethiopia and Turkey after getting involved in a traffic accident, reports Anadolu Agency. The ministry said in a statement that Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu instructed the formation of a committee to investigate the misconduct of the Ethiopian diplomat.

It also said the embassy staffer returned to the country on suspicion of misconduct and the ministry was also weighing on imposing sanctions on the official a

December 1, 2017 - The Embassy of Italy in Ethiopia signed a 14 million Euros grant financing agreement with selected civil society organizations to foster employment opportunities so as to reduce illegal migration, reports Ethiopian News agency. The agreement with these organizations is part of the 20 million Euros stemming illegal migration in Northern and Central Ethiopia (SINCE) program.

The program aims at reducing illegal migration from Northern and Central Ethiopia by improving the living conditions of vulnerable population including potential migrants and returnees.

November 29, 2017 - Following a series of meetings and evaluations (gimgema) lasting several weeks, the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) has elected Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael as the new chairman of the organization. It is also learnt that Fetlework Gebreegziabher (a.k.a Monjono) was elected Deputy Chair of the TPLF.

Dr. Debretsion served as Deputy Chair of TPLF before the current changes, while Monjorno served as member of the executive committee.

Abay Woldu, the former chair of the organization, was removed from the 9-member executive committe of the front and demoted to jus

November 29, 2017 - Ethiopian Ministry of Health disclosed that only four out of the nine rapid HIV/AIDS testing kits can be used, according to ENA. This was disclosed at a joint press briefing by the Ministry of Health and Ethiopian Public Health Institute today.

The result was announced following the assessment carried out to determine quality and rapidity.

November 28, 2017 - In an extraordinary move, the Tigrayan People Liberation Front (TPLF) central committee removed party chairman Abay Woldu and demoted three others from leadership positions. More developments are unfloding in these marathon meetings that are drawing to a close, according to report in Horn Affairs.

On Sunday, TPLF chairman Abay Woldu was removed from his post. The CEO of EFFORT, Azeb Mesfin, and her deputy, Beyene Mekeru, were removed from the Executive Committee. Abay Woldu and Beyene Mekeru are to continue as members of the Central Committee. Azeb Mesfin is temporarily suspended until her dismissal is approved

November 28, 2017 - Ethiopia launched a comprehensive Refugee Response Program (CRRF) to provide refugees with more employment and educational opportunities. According to Xinhua’s report. Ethiopia now hosts about 890,000 refugees mainly from South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia in 26 refugee camps across the country.

Commissioner of Ethiopia Investment Commission (EIC) Fitusm Arega said the Ethiopian government is working to create employment opportunities for refugees, especially in industrial parks.

"Preparations are being made to build, at a cost of 500 million U.S. dollars, three industrial parks for refugees in

November 27, 2017 - Ethiopia's federal Supreme Court has today overruled a decision by the Federal High court fourth criminal bench and reduced the jail term of Yonatan Tesfaye, social media activist and former public relations head of the opposition Blue Party, to three years and six months only, reports Addis Standard. After having been charged with terrorism, the Ethiopian opposition figure is serving a jail term of six years and six months, which was handed to him by the federal high court on May 25, 2017.

However, his lawyer Shibiru Belete has appealed for the charges of terrorism to be downgraded to criminal charges. A

November 27, 2017 - The Organizers of Great Ethiopian run stated that two competitors have died in the annually held Run road race. Sources didn’t identify the two runners or give causes of death. Ethiopia’s Police said medical experts suspect heart problems could be the cause of both deaths.

On their Facebook page, organizers say: “The two runners collapsed and were taken to a hospital but they didn’t make it. We will provide more details in the coming days.”

Eyewitness Mikias Desalegn says one of the runners collapsed moments after finishing the race and was “rushed into an ambulance.&rdq

November 25, 2017 - East Africa Bottling SC, bottler of Coca Cola brands in Ethiopia, announced that a sugar consignment destined to its plant in Bahir Dar was intercepted and confiscated by security forces in the town of Goha Tsion, in North Shoa Zone of the Oromia Regional State, starting late last month, reports the Ethiopian English weekly newspaper the Reporter.

The bottler also indicated that the confiscated sugar consignment was around 720 quintals and was commandeered at different times at the same location starting late last month.

All the four trucks were seized while transporting sugar to one of its plants in Bahir Dar, the capital

November 21, 2017 - The Pharmaceutical Fund & Supply Agency (PFSA) procured an estimated five million HIV test kits worth 2.5 million dollars from Beijing Wanti Biological Enterprise, whose products were found to be below the standard in algorithm tests carried out by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) in August 2017, reports Ethiopian english weekly newspaper, Addis fortune.

This is not the first time when a controversy over the HIV test kits purchase has surfaced. There were constant accusations and claims amongst suppliers, PFSA, EPHI and Ministry of Health (MoH) since 2012, resulting in a shortage of kits i